The Underworlders
by The-Shadow002
Summary: Its the 31st Millennium and the dark moon war is well over and done with, but elements of Crystal Tokyos almost non-existant underworld are fighting, fighting for their lives. Rated for violence and language.
1. Prolouge Shadows

Warning this fanfic contains occasional coarse language and violence.

Written by The Shadow

The characters previously created and copyrighted by their respective owners that are used in this fanfic are still copyrighted by them, as are the additional created characters. This fanfic is not for profit of any kind and as such may not be used for making profit by anyone.

The Underworlders

Prologue - Shadows

Every city has an underworld. Places for those who go out in short dress's and stand on corners or those who dress in large jackets and stand on corners. Every city has one of these places, places were money is the best form of communication and anything can be gotten, for a price. A place where children can be raised by multiple mothers or not by anyone at all and where in most cases they have no mothers. Places where knives shine in the dark and gun flashes leave a flare of fire on the retina.

In all cities this place exists, except for one. A city in Japan known as Crystal Tokyo, a city whose crime rate is nearly zero and any crimes committed are mostly minor if at all. But in a part of Crystal Tokyo where empty warehouses stand rotting side by side with old piles of bit and pieces that whistle to the sound of the light summer breezes there exists a form of an underworld. Changed though, centuries of disuse and security, welfare sweeps have reduced this underworld from the known organized crime filled syndicates of other cities to something more akin to a closed circle society of selected people.

This closed circle occasionally meets in a random location in the abandoned areas of Crystal Tokyo. They try not to keep things regular so as to avoid detection of the occasional tapping into the CT Power and Gas cables for electricity, a company that could possibly be as old as the city itself. While they might be doing nothing illegal they like their freedom and try to protect it as best they can, they stick to the shadows, the dark spots, the night. Times and places that are usually avoided by the better off portion of Crystal Tokyo, they help those they can, those who have been abandoned when young mostly though occasionally a refugee will appear among them.

At this time the are currently holding a meeting beneath the work paths of concrete and steal above them. "Jonas, what have you to report at the current meeting now that all the boring stuff is dealt with?" Jonas a sort man with dark hair and glasses turned towards his questioner, Paul Dole a man who while old still had a sharp glint in his eyes that missed nothing and a commanding aura usually chaired these meetings.

As his position dictated Jonas had to report on any unusual doings within any of the a sectors. He turned so he could address the other three men and two women in the circle. He cleared his throat and began to speak "Well there's not too much to report at this meeting, I had reports of another group of refugees coming in but nothing confirmed about that let alone when if they are given them their visas expire. Um, our area has changed , sector 2 has lost some land due to development but sector 6 has increased to make up the difference. I recommend that the next bunch o f farmers we get we send to the new land in sector six."

Jonas paused to take a breath and as he was doing so Tsukamo asked "What about those twins of yours?" "Ah yes the twins, those two have for the last few months stopped looking for their usual items and have been looking exclusively for machine parts of any kind. We have as yet no idea what there doing with them but I hope to find out soon." Jonas sat down and started to shuffle through his papers "It is my recommendation that we bring them to our next meeting and induct them before they get caught."

Paul put a finger to his lips and thought for a moment then said "Alright I agree, any opposed?" he waited for a show of hands "No good then we'll bring them to our next meeting and when should that be Steven?"

Steven looked up from his records "We'll it was three months between this meeting and last so I say thank probably a couple of weeks would be a good idea before another one." "Excellent then I hope to see you all then, new location? "Definitely we've used this facility twice already, I suggest we use the place in sector four next." "Good then it's a date, see you then."

They all stood up and nodded to each other then turned around back facing back in circle, then they each walked of in a different direction down the old service tunnels.

Jonas looked at the two black clad men in front of him and said, "Well then that settled, I want you to pick them up tomorrow and you can collect your pay when they are delivered. I want you to bring them to this location." He handed them a piece of paper and turned away, when he turned back he help two pay packets. "Here's your pay for the last job with a bonus Paul was very happy and told me to personally reward you for you efforts."

The two men took their respective packets placed them inside the jackets and smiled at Jonas. "Thanks," "Yeah it nice to have something other than extra verbal appreciation." Jonas laughed and sat down in his chair "Ha ha, I know what you mean boys, Ok see you there you have one week to shadow you're targets and then pick them up, now get out of here."

The two men turned away and headed out the wooden door, closing it gently behind them. Jonas sat and thought letting his gaze drift before he resumed his work. I hope they don't put up too much of a fuss he thought, then putting the matter out of his mind he concentrated on the work at hand, he had things to organize and order before the next meeting and things going were to be tight.

Somewhere in a room full of darkness a phone rang with a high pitched voice, and was answered. A deep voice spoke into the receiver "Report," "Everything is in place Sir, the targets will be picked up in one week, we won't be able to find out the time so we plan to pick them up later." "Excellent, continue, but make sure you don't fail, we've had enough failures of late and certain people are tired of having to wait for results." There was a pause "Yes Sir I understand," "Good," There was a click as the receiver was placed back in its cradle.

End Of Prologue

Please e-mail me at any comments and criticisms as this is my first attempt at a fanfic.

I'd really like to thank Frank Barr and everyone over at Sailor Moon Expanded (SME) for all the great fanfics they've written. Sorry I forgot the web address ;;. The next chapter should be done soon. Cya.


	2. Chaper 1 Scissors

Warning this fanfic contains occasional coarse language.

Fanfiction by The Shadow

Disclaimer

The characters previously created and copyrighted by their respective owners that are used in this fanfic are still copyrighted by them as are the additional created characters. This fanfic is not for profit of any kind and as such may not be used for making profit by anyone. In other words you cant sue me and the characters I've created are mine muahhahahah ;; sorry.

The Underworlders

Part 1 - Scissors

In the less well used or travelled part of Crystal Tokyo two children who are more than they appear live in empty warehouses and junk yards. These two children one named Kenji and another named Hanako are sorting through the usual junk in their small part of world hoping that maybe today they'll get lucky. Kenji had black hair that spiked and jutted out in all directions due to it's uncut nature and had pale green eyes. Hanako had black hair that went down to the small of her back and deep blue eyes that looked out on the world almost expectantly.

These two are not your average children as would be expected. Abandoned at a tender age by someone the only remember as a vague face with warm hands though they could have just rolled over and surrendered, through bartering, buying or thieving they have managed to peace together an education for themselves.

So far they have managed to avoid being collected up by what passed for the mostly unnecessary child welfare agency in Crystal Tokyo. For which this group is extremely happy. Unlike some of their disappeared friends that have come and gone over the years these two know the price they must pay is they are found. Separation, separation from each other and separation from the life they know, they have no intention of paying that great a price.

As they search among the small piles of junk and disused machinery that created hills of metal madness they come across small items of importance. A sliver of data crystal here, a good condition circuit board there, they use these small pieces of evidence that there is an outside world to practice their mechanical skills which help keep them in the good books of those they think of as their shadows.

But on this particularly fruitless day those items of import are not found. Instead what is found is a pair of scissors which claim to be made of stainless steel. The fact that these scissors are alone the only item that hasn't started to rust from the light showers that occasionally sweep through Crystal Tokyo to water the gardens of it's citizens, testified to the stainless steel ability of this particular pair of scissors.

With the sun now reaching noon the two, brother and sister, decide to head back to the house they are currently rostered to. As they approach they check from the shadows of a disused soap factory the safety of the street and run across to their abode that they currently share with another Underworlder. Know as 'Old Gaffa' to those who new him, he has a slight weakness for paint cans usually the type that you can chrome but he would often settle from propane or some other cylinder gas. On this particular day Old Gaffa was sitting on an old moth eaten and ratty couch cushion on the floor with a cylinder of gas in his lap.

On this day that they had found a pair of stainless steel scissors Kenji and Hanako got bored, something that although they were technically children didn't happen very often to them.

Kenji sat down on the floor on a old dirty pillow next to Hanako

'Hey Hanako, you bored?'

'No actually I like watching the paint peel of the walls,' Was the slightly sarcastic answer he got from Hanako.

'Well what do you want to do then?'

' Hmm I have an idea,' She teased him while he waited patiently.

'Alright here it is go and get that piece of paper with the hole in it and stick it on that nail in the left post to Gaffa,'

'Yeah OK. Now what?' The nail was bent half way in but he was able to secure the piece of paper more or less levelly.

'Come over here, we can through these scissors and try to get them in the hole, you know play darts, Okay?'

'Sound good,' it's better than nothing he thought '

Great, you can go first then.'

' Thanks,'

Kenji picked up this scissors with his right hand and stood up. He lined up the hole with his hand, brought back his arm and through the scissors forward. The scissors flew straight and true, then wobbled, then dipped, then skewed of course towards a piece of metal that was sticking out of the ground and had been surrounded by some liquid. The scissors hit the metal dead on, a spark came life as if to mock the children's wide O shaped exclamations of surprise. The spark hit the liquid, fire was born in a small puff of old fuel and nearby paper and raced through the wall.

As the children ran out the door of the old house the walls of dry rotten wood seemed to explode from within with flame all at once. 'Old Gaffa' woke up to the sound of hungry flame eating up the walls and floor coverings and screaming children

'Oh shit,' was all he managed to mumble before the flame's raced back to the source of their origin and exploded the gas tank. Instantly incinerating the old man and turning him to so much white ash. Kenjiand Hanako had due to their close proximity to the door managed to get half way across the street before the tank exploded. They felt heat at their back then a pressure that pushed them along. The managed one-step ahead of it before they were thrown by a burst of superheated air rag doll style, landing hard on the concrete.

Kenji picked himself up from the ground and looked at his sister,

'Hey Hanako you alright, Hanako?'

'Oh man that hurt, I don't think anything's broken only bruised.'

Hanako stood up and began to dust off her clothes as Kenjiturned around to survey the unintentionally done damage. The house they had just vacated with such haste moments before was now almost non-existent. All that was left were burning stumps of wood and scorched earth.

Kenji and Hanako quickly turned around in a circle, the flames were starting to spread to the dried out buildings and warehouses around them

'Come on we better get out of here, the fire brigade will be here soon.'

They started to walk of between the still as yet unlit buildings deeper into the areas and territories they knew best. Then they picked up the pace, their old shoe soles slapping loudly on the cracked concrete as sirens started to wail. They rounded the last corner at a run straight into a pair of hands covered in black gloves. Hanako crashed straight into the man at and felt fingers close over her wrist in a vice like grip as another hand attempted to get a wet looking cloth out of a pocket. She tried to get away and heard Kenji doing the same. She bit, scratched then managed to get her arm around in a hook past the shadowy man's defences, it connected with something solid and their was a grunt of pain. Then blackness as the sickly sweet smell of chloroform covered her nose and mouth, invaded her mind and stole her defences.

He looked over at his partner as he let the girl down gently onto the concrete.

'Man that was painful,'

'Your telling me, that boy's got a punch.'

Mort stood up and rubbed his jaw where the girls hook had hit him. He'd barely been able to stay up after that one that was a nasty punch. Tad his long time friend and work mate stood up from the boy and put his cloth away.

'Where are we supposed to take them now?'

Mort put away his own cloth, bent and picked up the girl in a fireman hold while he tried to remember their instructions.

'If I remember right we where supposed to take them to the drain system entrance in sector 4.'

Mort adjusted the girl's position and waited while Tad picked up his own bundle of joy.

'Alright let's get out of here, the cops and firemen will be here soon.'

The two men started walking at a quick pace towards the nearest gap between two buildings and blended into the shadows.

In the control center of Crystal Tokyo an alarm went off on a technicians console.

"Sir we have a fire detected in the east quadrant of the city, it looks big sir, I'm getting spreading heat on the infrared scanners." The technician turned to his superior

"Well I don't think we need to worry Lady Rei about this, she has enough on her mind of late, just send out the men to put out the fire.'

'Yes sir roger that, though i think knowing her she already probably knows about it,'

'Most likely your right,'

'Calling all fire stations in east quadrant this is a general emergency alert, there is a fire in the warehouse district proceed immediately to the given co-ordinates. Proceed with all speed, keep ambulances on stand by."

As the call went out across the East Side of Crystal Tokyo fire men climbed into trucks and speed off in the direction of the growing column of smoke rising in to clear bright sky.

'Sir do you think She will take a hand in this?' The tech asked the commander.

'I wouldn't be surprised if She did. She takes great pride in the city and how it looks, if the entire east side were to go up, granted there only empty warehouses, it wouldn't look very good now would it.'

'No it wouldn't. The first fire engine has arrived on site sir, I'm receiving reports, they say that they have to use foam there's oil and motor fuel mixed in with the other combustibles so they cant use water.'

'Roger that, what about casualties?'

'There doesn't appear to be any so far sir, but the flames are too hot for them to get in close and look closely. Ah sir the air pressure around the fire has dropped and I'm getting reports of clouds amassing over the fire.'

'I guess that answers your question.'

'Yes sir I guess so,' the tech replied with a smile.

Authors notes

Well that's the first part done please R&R if you want to give me an e-mail it's


	3. Chapter 2 Situations

Warning this fanfic contains occasional coarse language.

Written by The Shadow

Disclaimer

Queen Serenity and other canonical Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon characters are the creation of TAKEUCHI Naoko and are copyright jointly to her, Koudansha, Touei Animation, and either TV Asahi or Fuji TV, depending on which season. Calcite, Azurite, Margrave, Titanite, Sylvite, and Pyrite are the creation of Mark Latus, one of the SME core members. Alan Thomas and Alisin Windwalker are the creation of Craig Reed. All the other characters not mentioned here are the creation of me and as such are owned by me. Some of these characters haven't appeared YET in this story but will.

The Underworlders

Part 2 – Situations

Dark clouds gathered over the East Side of Crystal Tokyo driven by an unseen wind. Sirens wailed as police and fire engines drove towards to location of the fire that was quickly demolishing the old warehouses as it burned quickly through the dry wood.

All of a sudden the dark clouds burst and rain poured down on the paper and wood fires burning in the warehouses drenching them and reducing them to burning embers. The rain fell only on those fires burning and would leave those with chemicals involved. This produced an interesting effect that members of the fire and police departments noticed as a ring of rain surrounded the area with nothing coming down in the centre of the ring.

The vehicles splashed through the rain towards the fires. The fire trucks came to a stop close enough so that they'd be able to use their foam to good effect without being hurt and if that didn't work they could always radio for help and have someone teleport in and put out the fire magically. The police cars stoped further back and blocked off the area to the public.

The fire was slowly being pushed back inside the gutted house it had started form and the fire department moved in slowly making sure that there were no backdraughts that would allow the fire to move back over the charred ground and possibly the fire fighters.

They slowly moved in on the centre of the blaze, putting out spot fires that occasionally flared up, until they reached the house. The fire fighters moved in slowly watching each others backs before dowsing the flames in chemical spray and turning the burning shell of the house into a large chemical puff ball, below ground though a different battle was taking place.

Mort and Tad moved quickly between the warehouses moving away from the fire and the approaching authorities, ducking behind stacks of old barrels and weaving in out of holes in the warehouse's walls making steady pace to their destination.

"That was a bit close for comfort," Tad puffed as they moved closer to there destination.

"Way too close, ha."

They both but their burdens down on the ground gently and using both hands the grasped a service hatch and lifted it up with a high pitched rusty squeal. They picked the children back up and climbed down the ladder and into the service tunnel.

A man stepped out of the shadows with a weapon.

"Hello boys Jonas is waiting in the tunnel up ahead on your left,"

"Thanks," Tad replied with a grunt as he hefted the child on his back into a more comfortable position for him to carry. Mort finished climbing the ladder and nodding to the man walked after Tad.

They reached the corner and disappeared around the corner and out of the guards view, off to their destination.

The Guard moved back into his alcove near the ladder and settled in for a normal day.

Below ground another battle was about to commence, one that was different in almost every possible way. A group of Nemesian mercenaries dressed in black and grey camouflage gear sat, stood or crouched in a tunnel not that far from another service hatch waiting for the commanders to finish talking.

"What's the situation topside?' one asked pulling his balaclava off his face to wipe his brow of sweat.

"There's CT fire fighters and police all over the place up there dealing with the fire," the man on his left reported with a com up to his ear.

"Should we wait?' the one on his right asked.

"I don't think so we can use the fire as a distraction, they're bound to fan out and investigate the other buildings and service tunnels for damage from the fire. I say we move now. I also don't want to run into Mars and her Internal Security forces"

"I agree," the other said with a shudder.

"Same here."

"Alright lets do this, pass the word, silenced weapons only, we want to avoid the CT group, we move in five, no survivors except for the 2 targets heres a picture of each." He took a pair of photos out of his pocket and handed them to the others who passed them down the line.

"Roger," they both said and then started walking down the line of men.

The word was passed, weapons checked, grips adjusted.

Mort and Tad at this time were walking down a service tunnel on their way to the sanctuary of their clients. The walked in comfortable silence until they reached a section of the tunnel whose seals between sections of concrete weren't as tight as they looked. Tad pressed a small square section of concrete in the wall and the concrete slab swinged open on oiled hinges not making a sound,

They walked in and were stoped by two men who took the two children and left in the direction of their infirmary while Mort and Tad left in the direction of Jonas's office. They walked past the people who lived in this haven, past these people who made a living in what was left of the Crystal Tokyo underworld doing what ever it was they did. The men would most likely be smugglers and the women prostitutes but you could never tell, and children went around helping their parents with their daily tasks.

They walked past these people and went to the wooden door of Jonas's office, knocking once they entered. Jonas looked up at the door opening and smiled.

"Ah I see you've arrived, any trouble?" he asked anxiously.

"Not really although our shins sure took a beating."

"Amen to that," Mort said bending down and rubbing his still slightly aching legs.

"Good well here is your pay as agreed," Jonas handed over two plain envelopes one each to the two men.

"Anything else?"

"No that's all for now I can contact you if anything pertaining to your skills comes up in the usual way right?"

"Yeah though we might be on another job so give us plenty of warning,"

"Sure thing, alright then I guess ill see you boys around."

The two men shook Jonas's hand and left him to what ever it was he did closing the door behind them. They headed over to the bar that the underground group ran with bootlegged or smuggled in liquor. It was cheap and it was good and it suited the too men who needed to quench their thirst after a hard day.

"Barkeep, two whisky's thanks," Tad ordered, putting away the envelop and bringing out his wallet with spending money.

"Coming right up,"

"So what now?" Mort asked Tad as they sipped their drinks and the bar.

"Well I was thinking that we should wait a bit before we do anything next."

Mort nodded and turned back to his drink.

In the corridors out side the sanctuary of those innocently taking care of their daily business the Nemesian mercenaries silently moved along the tunnels moving from tunnel to tunnel, covering each intersection before moving on.

"Is everyone in place?"

"Yes sir, all squads have completed preparation and are ready to go on your word,"

"Alright shut up you lot, these are your orders, as far as we know the target group keeps sentries posted in this tunnel and they have some sort of secret entrance, we need to neutralise the sentries and then we will use a small explosive to get through the wall, got it?"

"Yes sir,"

"Alright move out, now!"

The mercenaries moved out along their assigned tunnels checking alcoves for look outs as they moved along. Soon enough they reached the tunnel with the service entry and the guard that stood in the alcove, he heard a noise moved out into the tunnel to check it out and was rewarded with the view of a squad of killers who quickly sized him up and riddled him with bullets.

As the sentry fell, with the last of his strength he moved his hand to the silent alarm trigger on his belt and pressed the button before he hit the concrete tunnels floor with a dull crack, his blood pooling around him as his life left his eyes.

The Nemesian's moved on down the tunnel.

Inside the office of Jonas a large red light on the wall opposite the desk started blinking and a buzz sounded.

Jonas looked up from his paper work straight at the alarm.

"Oh shit, you've got to be kidding me,"

He opened the bottom draw of the desk and pulled out a gun he had gone to great expense to smuggle into Crystal Tokyo and ran out the door.

Cupping his hands he yelled "Everyone evacuate now, the alarm has been set off, intruders are on their way me must evacuate now!"

Everyone stopped in shock, Mort and Tad turned around from their drinks and the bar their eyes goggling.

Then everyone went into motion, the women gathered necessities and the children and started filing towards the emergency exit that lead through an old disused railway tunnel to the docks. The men started lining up and receive their assigned weapons from their supervisors, while Jonas gathered all the spare money, data crystals, critical paperwork and anything else he needed to keep.

Mort and Tad looked at each other and nodded, they pulled out their guns and joined the group of armed men who would cover the old, the sick, the women and children's escape. Those who were in the infirmary were carted out and put in old wheel chairs to accompany the group.

The group of escapees left with mostly women and children and a group of men as escorts to protect them from the intruders. As he left with what was needed from the office Jonas told the supervisors where to meet up later, and what to do.

"We set up plenty of traps for these kinds of people so make sure you use them, also station some men behind the bar and use the bottles as Molotov's, being set alight should keep some oft them busy."

"Yes sir,"

"And please try not to be too heroic I would like to see as many of you alive as I can later,"

"I'm sure we would too sir, thankyou,"

"No thank you," with that Jonas turned and left through another tunnel away into the underground of Crystal Tokyo. The men settled in behind quickly made temporary barricades and shelter while Mort and Tad checked their gear under their coats, nodding to each other they settled in to await those who would dare disturb the Underworlders.

End of part 2

Authors notes:

FINALLY IT'S DONE!!!!

Please C&C it's much appreciated and also could you all tell me if these chapters are to long or short. I'm used to reading chapters that are sometimes 20,000 to 60,000 words long, this chapter is around the 2000 mark so I wanted to know if this was the right sort of length, let me know.

Thanks


	4. Chapter 3 Shots

Warning this fanfic contains occasional coarse language and some violence.

Written by The Shadow

Disclaimer

Queen Serenity and other canonical Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon characters are the creation of TAKEUCHI Naoko and are copyright jointly to her, Koudansha, Touei Animation, and either TV Asahi or Fuji TV, depending on which season. Calcite, Azurite, Margrave, Titanite, Sylvite, and Pyrite are the creation of Mark Latus, one of the SME core members. Alan Thomas and Alisin Windwalker are the creation of Craig Reed. All the other characters not mentioned here are the creation of me and as such are owned by me.

Some of these characters haven't appeared YET in this story but will.

The men settled in behind quickly made temporary barricades and shelter while Mort and Tad checked their gear under their coats, nodding to each other they settled in to await those who would dare disturb the Underworlders.

Mort and Tad took a quick look around, then looked at each either, their eyes said all they needed to without words. They were all fucked pretty badly unless they could come up with something fancy real god damn quick.

The men behind the bar were making the Molotov's and putting them up on the bar with alcohol soaked rags in the tops and necks of the bottles. Others readied what little weaponry there was to be had in a place like Crystal Tokyo. There were a few shotguns some sub machine guns and an assortment of pistols ranging in calibre and effectiveness.

"Alright everybody listen up," Tad yelled out "I'd like to help you all here because if you're screwed, then really I'm screwed."

They smiled at this some even smiled.

"Are you happy to listen to me?"

"Yes."

"You betcha."

"Sure man."

"No problem."

Was the chorus of replies he got back. He smiled these guys new Mort and Tad were packing probably a lot of gear, not to mention they'd been around long enough to know some of these guys and they knew him.

"Alright then everyone move the barricades and the tables in front of the entrance, put the weakest barricades at the front so that when they smash through our guys can throw the Molotov's and the wood will catch better.

Those with a SMG I want you to be in the second row behind the strongest barricades. Everyone with a shot gun I want you to space your selves among those with the SMG's evenly. If and I mean IF someone next to you is shot and they have an SMG pass your shotgun to those with pistols who will be behind the last barricades. You will then use the SMG. If you run out of ammunition fall back and escape.

I want you guys at the bar to keep up a steady stream of Molotov's. Everyone else, your job is to keep those at the bar covered so they don't get shot and drop a bottle of flaming alcohol on us. Everyone got that?"

They all either nodded or said yes and got to it. Mort turned to Tad and asked "So where are we going to be?"

Tad bared his teeth in a grin "Why in the front line of course, where else?"

Mort laughed "I don't know why I even ask sometimes."

"Neither do I actually."

As he watched the Underworlders run around arranging barricades and preparing, he knew that unless he got everything right they would all most likely die here. But, if he could get everything right then there was a good chance that most of them would win.

When they were ready he called out "Don't forget people you have cover to stay behind, only take shots when you feel it's safe, they will have cover too so you need to pick your shots and not take risks. Same goes for everyone even you guys at the bar."

They all settled in to wait.

While the Underworlder's waited inside their hidden refuge, the Nemesians patrolled outside looking for an entrance to some kind of hideout. They moved along the walls looking for a suspicious seam or gap in the stonework in the operations area.

"Commander over here! I think I've found something," one of the soldiers exclaimed.

"He's right its here, up in he join between the support post and this wall," his companion mercenary moved away from the same spot after finding the button.

The commander moved quickly over to the position of the two mercenary's and inspected the wall for himself, running his hands over the smooth rock and along the apparently seamless joins.

"There I've found it, well done boys. Now everyone over here, we have the entrance to the targets location I want the heavy support troops in first going down the middle and the medium to the left and right of the center. We shall move forward and throw some grenades to soften them up and then we move in. I want controlled bursts of fire not mindless spraying, got that?"

"Roger," the soldiers chorused."

"Alright then lets move out."

With that order they all gathered around the entrance to the base, un-holstering their weapons and turning off the safety on their various guns.

"Get those charges in place dammit." The commander was moving around dispensing orders to all he encountered.

The four men designated moved up to the large stone door and placed four charges, two at the top two at the bottom in a rectangle shape, and set the timer and moved away quickly. The other mercenary's already well back braced themselves for the explosion, their weapons ready against their chests.

The timers clicked down and some of the men and women felt sweat run down their backs as the timer approached zero. Then there was a click and the four charges detonated simultaneously with an implosive crack and boom as the door was blown into the shelter and the support shifted as the bedrock above and below suffered from the wrenching forces.

Then the dust settled and the mercenary's stood up gripped their weapons and charged into the well lit room in front of them. They had about three seconds to register the tables and barricades before the bursts of gunfire started and the blood flew.

Mort and Tad squatted behind the makeshift barricade in front of them Tad was talking to Mort and some of the defenders.

"Like I said it's only a matter of time before they find the button and the door although they won't use it they'll just blow the door in to make it easier for them."

"So what do we do?" A man in his middle ages looking tired asked.

"As soon as the door is down we lob all of our grenades and Molotov's into the hole or in front of the hole and then we start firing as they come in, simple enough for you?"

The Underworlders nodded. They knew that both Mort and Tad followed the Keep It Simple Stupid or KISS principle and they liked the idea of simple quite a lot.

On the back wall above the bar the red silent alarm rotated inside its plastic adding a red glow to the room as it moved around its never-ending path. The defenders of the underworld settled in and waited. Some grew nervous and tried to relax others just sat and made their peace, expecting to die, still others checked their weapons over and over.

Suddenly four clicks were heard from the door. Mort and Tad looked at each other "Shit," they said in unison.

"Watch out people they're using military breaching charges, brace yourself now and get in cover everyone they're coming in." Tad got down behind his barricade and grasped Mort's hand.

"Good working with you buddy, this is just in case we don't make it."

Mort returned the shake "Same here buddy."

They got out their weapons and got ready for the door to come down.

It almost seamed to happen to fast for them to see it. The door came slowly crashing down to the floor with dust billowing out behind it in a vast cloud.

Tad yelled out to them all "Throw them now! Throw them!"

In an arc of death homemade grenades and a couple of military anti-personal grenades flew through the air towards the hole in the wall of the Underworlder's shelter. In seeming slow motion men and some women ran through the hole wearing black armour and black military fatigues. Each of them had Sub-machine guns or rifles carried low to compensate for the recoil of firing on the run.

Tad and Mort put their guns and heads above the barricade and fired off a few rounds into the group of mercenary's. Their victims fell to the hard stone floor blood spurting out of their bodies as the two men found the gaps in the mercenary's armour that they needed to find. Then the others started to open fire. The mercenary's faltered under the wave of death coming their way and dropped down to the ground to try to find some cover.

Then the grenades went off. Waves of shrapnel radiated out from the grenades with the anti-personal grenades doing the most damage. A wave of jagged pieces of metal rose up and shot into the surrounds, be they wood, stone, metal or mercenary. Those closest were reduced to a bleeding bloody pulp instantly buy the shrapnel. Those further away felt the white hot metal enter their bodies rupturing their skin and puncturing their organs. Those furthest away from the explosion were somewhat unlucky in that they did not die instantly but instead would die in agony from their wounds and blood loss.

The mercenary's kept coming, now however they threw their own anti-personal grenades or High Explosive grenades at the Underworlders. Some bounced off the barricades and landed a few meters from them and couple made it over. A grenade landed next to Mort who grabbed it and lobbed it back at the mercenary's in one smooth motion. Others weren't so lucky. A grenade landed near a middle aged man with a pistol. He made a scramble for the grenade and missed it by centimetres. A look of horror came across his face followed by resignation as the grenade went off and his clothes became soaked with blood as the shrapnel turned his soft flesh into a bloody puree.

Gunfire erupted from the automatic weapons of the mercenaries raking the tops of the barricades with death, picking off those not fast enough to take cover. Mort and Tad stayed behind their barricade taking cover from the hail of fire coming in.

"Man, we can't take much more of this," Mort said ducking back down from a quick glance over the top of the barricade.

"I know, I know, we need to get back on the offence," Tad replied wincing from a loud shriek from one of the mercenaries wounded.

The mercenaries' grenades went off.

The first two barricades collapsed after being blown apart buy the H.E. grenades. A wave of metal death followed instantly rushing through the air faster then and eye could track the shrapnel took down more of the Underworlders in bloody barrages.

A piece of shrapnel pierced the wood between Mort and Tad appearing as a twisted metal spike. Mort raised his eyebrows sardonically "Shall we?"

Tad looked at him, looked down, muttered something under his breath and said "Lets do this."

Mort nodded, reached inside his coat and pulled out two automatic pistols and moved into a crouch. Tad unstrapped the sub-machine gun he had hidden.

Tad looked at Mort, pulled a grenade out and asked "Ready," Mort did a quick survey of their position and nodded "Yeah, lets do this."

They both thumbed off the safeties on their guns and flexing their muscles leapt up and to the side. Mort fired bursts of hollow-point 9mm bullets at the clumps of mercenaries on his side while running sideways. Bullet casings fell to his feat hot from the barrels of his pistols as he continued to burst away. Wherever he shot he hit them never missing a target, he kept moving and firing the mercenaries missing him with every shot. He rolled along the ground and came to a stop behind a concrete steel reinforced pillar to reload his guns.

While this had been occurring Tad had pulled the pin on his grenade and with a powerful throw got the grenade where he wanted it., right in the middle of the enemy. As they grenade flew through the air Tad got up and fired a burst of bullets at the soldiers in the path of the grenade to keep them down, then running to the opposite side of Mort he strafed the mercenaries with bullets. Blood flew and people died as the grenade flew through the air tumbling over and over towards its victims.

The grenade landed on the pocked concrete floor and rubble, a red light on the side of the grenade blinked three times and then a flash of heat and white erupted from the small device and spread outwards vaporising all in its path.

Tad dived and rolled along the ground reaching the relative safety of a piece of concrete sheeting taking shelter from the grenade. He pressed the release and the empty SMG clip fell to the floor, he replaced it with a fresh one and looked across at Mort. Seeing him behind cover reloading he made some hand signals. 'You go up round your side I'll move to the middle and cover you,' Mort signed back 'Got you I'm ready when you are.'

Tad fixed his grip on his gun and nodded to Mort who braced himself with his back against the pillar and both pistols in his hands. Tad looked around him, most of the Underworlders were in cover popping out their guns every now and again to take a shot at the mercenaries. There were some down but they had done better then he had dared to hope.

He focused on the job at hand. Flicking the firing mode over on the gun he angled the SMG and leaned out from around the sheet. He squeezed the second trigger set in front of the first on the gun and heard a satisfying clunk as he fired a grenade that exploded on impact into the midst of the mercenaries. The grenade obliterated those at the centre of the blast and moved some of the rubble.

Mort moved out from behind his pillar and moved forward, taking cover behind the rubble of the wall and the broken and smashed barricades. He looked around taking note of the obstacles in his way as he moved forward towards the gaping hole in the wall surrounded by the dead bodies of the Mercenaries.

The Underworlders quickly looked over the tops of the barricades and then ducked down frightened of being shot. Mort unclipped a flash bang from his belt and swivelled his head to look at Tad. Tad nodded back. With a grunt Mort pulled the pin and hefted the flash bang out the gaping hole and down the tunnel, they heard a dull thud as it went off. Mort got up fast and sprinted out his pistols clasped in both hands. Tad ran out from behind his cover close behind Mort, they reached the edge of the hole and dived out, rolling along the dank tunnel floor.

The tunnel was empty. The only living thing in the tunnel was the two men, they did a full three hundred and sixty degree turn back to back covering each other. The only thing to be seen were the dead bodies of mercenaries too close to the grenades that the Underworlders had thrown earlier and some of the victims of the fire fight who had died with bewildered looks on their faces. Here and there liquor that had splashed onto the walls from the Molotov's was burning and the occasional corpse had a burning limb or their torso on fire. Dank water dripped down from the roof, and from the pipes shattered by the explosions water and other less savoury things splashed onto the walls and floor of the tunnel.

Tad whistled the all clear and the Underworlders came out from behind their shattered or intact barricades. Some of them did not. They walked out into the tunnel, looked around then turned to the two men.

"Well sir's what should we do now?" One of the men gathered the courage to ask. Tad looked around and came to a decision.

"Take the weapons and strip the bodies of any ammunition and anything else useful. We cant stay here the CT scanners will pick up the amount of damage here eventually and when they do we need to be far away." Tad turned towards the man who had asked him what to do.

"Do you know another way to were everyone else is?" Tad asked as he stripped the closest mercenary. The other man's brow creased with thought for a moment.

"Yes I know another way there, why do you ask?" the man frowned.

"I want you to take everyone there and protect them, stay hidden and tell them to do the same you don't want to be caught at this late stage." Tad finished stripping the mercenary and turned to the men. "That sound good to you?'

They all looked at each other and their self elected spokesman looked at Tad.

"Yeah that should be fine we'll manage, what are you guys going to do?"

Tad holstered the extra gear and said "The two of us are less conspicuous so were going to go to the surface, we also have citizenship so we'll be fine."

"Ok then boys I guess we'll see you around." The men turned back to their grisly work and as they were finishing they looked up and saw the two men turn around a corner further up the tunnel.

Well that's that chapter done that took awhile but I didn't really want to spilt the chapter into 2 parts. Please read and review, and ill have chapter 4 out ASAP. Thanks everyone


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